


ME/A Tumblr Prompts

by reyescott



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-28
Packaged: 2018-12-08 08:16:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 18,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11642547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyescott/pseuds/reyescott
Summary: Collection of various Scott/Reyes, Scott/Liam (and a handful of Kaidan/John) prompt fills from Tumblr.Untagged since I'm trying to keep it out of the tags and avoid spamming





	1. Liam/Scott - Is that my shirt?

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @reyescott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Is that my shirt?

Scott might lack a certain amount of poise the other Pathfinders possess–which is no doubt why Alec originally chose Cora as his second, outside of the whole nepotism thing–but Scott understands the gravity of the situation at hand, most the time. He holds back on the jokes and self-depricating comments until their lives aren’t immediately in danger, anyway. He tries to be nice to the directors. He succeeds, most the time.

Like at crew meetings. He’s five minutes into a speech on relations with Kadara now that Reyes is in charge when he notices the way Liam’s looking at him.

Scott winks, once, but otherwise goes on with his meeting. Fifteen minutes later (moving on from Reyes and into the Initiative’s new outpost, fuck it sounds boring to his own ears), when Scott can sense the boredom coming off his team, when all he can feel is the heat in Liam’s gaze, he dismisses them mid-sentence.

“Liam,” he says, before he can disappear. “Got a minute?”

“For you?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. All professional, except for the glint in his eyes. “I have a few.”

Scott waits until everyone’s gone, peering over the balcony before pulling Liam against him by the hips. “Wanna tell me what the bedroom eyes were for?”

Liam’s gaze darts from Scott’s eyes, to his lips, to his chest. He uncrosses his arms and drapes them over Scott’s shoulders. “Is that my shirt, Pathfinder?” He whistles, low. “Risky, you know. People could talk.”

Looking down to his own chest, Scott sees Liam’s right. Besides the fact it doesn’t fit him as well, there’s the blue fabric on the shoulders–no question about it. Scott had been in a rush to make a meeting with Tann and Addison that morning over vid con–he hadn’t even noticed.

Strictly speaking, fraternizing with your crew isn’t accepted among Pathfinders, but strictly speaking Scott doesn’t actually give a shit, either. He grins, slow, and looks back up to Liam. His pupils are blown wide, and makes no effort to hide how into the idea he is. “Come on, Liam,” Scott says, dipping his head forward so his lips are ghosting over Liam’s, “you’re a risk-taker.”

Liam’s eyes flutter closed, so Scott lets his droop, as well. Runs his hands up and down Liam’s side until he can feel the full-body shiver every time Scott strokes his torso. He opens his eyes, stroking at the hair at the back of Scott’s neck. “Takes one to know one.” His eyes rake over Scott’s form when he pushes him to stand at arm’s length. “Your quarters, ten minutes? Bet that shirt looks better on the floor.”


	2. John/Kaidan - My parents are coming over in 10 minutes so please put some clothes on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John/Kaidan - My parents are coming over in 10 minutes so please put some clothes on

Shepard’s moment to catch his breath is cut short by a pair of underwear to his face.

Clean, thankfully–but Kaidan’s. Shepard picks them up, raises an eyebrow at his husband. “Would you calm down?”

“My parents are going to be here in ten minutes.” Kaidan glances over his shoulders at Shepard, who’s still spread out on the bed, naked. Shepard smiles lazily. “Please put some clothes on.” He throws a pair of jeans towards the bed next, and gestures towards them, anxious.

Shepard pouts, swinging his leg over the edge of the bed. His feet hit the hardwood, and he stares down at his legs–one scarred, the skin still tight with burns and scar tissue, the other knicked, scratched metal–prosthetics from the Citadel. He wiggles his toes, rubs at his forehead.

“Only the best for Commander Shepard,” they’d said when they fit him with the new leg. Top-of-the-line tech, repurposed after the Reaper War a few years back. Years of civilian use wouldn’t have scraped it as bad, but Shepard pushed through combat training again after he was cleared through physical therapy before finally, at Kaidan’s insistence, accepting a desk job.

A desk job. He almost laughs.

“Hey,” Kaidan says, his voice soft as he sits next to him on the bed. Shepard glances up at him. “You okay?”

No question–Shepard is, more than okay. He reaches out, brushes his hand against Kaidan’s jaw before leaning in and pressing their foreheads together.

He takes a quick check of his body–no ache in his real knee, no painful stretch of his skin in his other leg. His cybernetics aren’t showing new scars.

They’re fine. He’s not sure he could be any happier.

“I’m great.” He kisses Kaidan, gently pressing his lips against the corner of Kaidan’s mouth. When Shepard pulls away, he draws his thumb over the curve of Kaidan’s lips. “Ten minutes? We have time for another round.”

Kaidan laughs as he taps Shepard’s leg with his hand. “Cute, but we’re not running on adrenaline and lost time anymore.” He stands up from the bed. Shepard watches him tug a shirt over his head. “Come on,” Kaidan says, when he turns to see Shepard still sitting in the same spot. “You play house for a few hours with my parents, I’ll indulge you tonight.”

“Deal,” Shepard says, immediate. His knee joint creaks as he stands, but he grins through it. It’s not often that he wakes up without something amiss. He’s going to enjoy it. He catches Kaidan around the waist, ducking his head to press kisses against his collarbone.

“You’re in a good mood,” Kaidan muses.

“I woke up with you,” Shepard tells him, reveling in the way Kaidan shivers as Shepard’s beard tickles against his skin. “Pretty damn good way to wake up, in my opinion.”


	3. Reyes/Scott - We've become the clingy newlyweds you always complained about

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - We've become the clingy newlyweds you always complained about

Kadara’s better these days. It’s almost pleasant, now, to wake up there, the sun filtering through the windows in Reyes’ new apartment, Scott leaning back against his chest. If he doesn’t think too hard about it, it feels like waking up on the Citadel back home.

Scott’s not convinced he’d give this up, though. If he could go back.

Reyes nuzzles against his ear with his nose, and sighs.

“Got any plans today?”

Reyes hums. “What did you have in mind?”

Reaching out with a hand, Scott traces shapes into the bare skin of his thigh. “Lazy morning.” He bends his head back to grin at Reyes. “Lazier afternoon.”

With a chuckle, Reyes reaches up and runs his fingers through Scott’s hair. “We’ve become the clingy newlyweds you always complained about.”

“Hey,” Scott says, lowering his voice. He cups Reyes’ face with his palm, and smiles. “After everything I’ve accomplished, I think I deserve a little domestic clinginess. If that means marriage and a picket fence, I’m there.” Not that he hadn’t wanted it before, but there’s a difference between wishing, and hoping. The difference between it being a dream, and something just out of reach.

Until Reyes, Scott didn’t think he’d ever get the opportunity to settle down. Until Reyes said he  _wanted_  to.

And here they are. The big, bad Charlatan, pressed against the human pathfinder in a scene so domestic they should be on zine covers. A scandal if Scott had ever seen one. “Far be it from me to deny you,” Reyes says. He ducks his head to kiss Scott’s temple.

Scott hums in his throat, leans back, and drinks in the moment.


	4. Reyes/Scott - My parents will be here in ten minutes so please put some clothes on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - My parents [sister] will be here in ten minutes so please put some clothes on

Reyes puts up a front about a lot of things—the whole Charlatan thing being the first thing that comes to mind—but he’s not shy about his body, by any means. There’s no reason to hide himself, after all, especially not when Scott enjoys him as much as he does.

It does, however, create the awkward situation they’re in right now, Scott kneeling at the end of the bed, holding a pair of pants and a t-shirt, pleading with him.

The t-shirt’s Scott’s. Reyes thinks he must have thought it would help to get him clothed.

“Reyes,” Scott says, putting on the puppy-dog eyes and crawling up the bed on his hands and knees, “please. My sister will be here in ten minutes. Please, please put some clothes on.”

He stretches his arms above his head, a smile spreading across his face as he catches Scott’s eyes follow the movement of muscle and skin. “Don’t enjoy the show?”

Scott colors. “I didn’t say that. But I’d really, really rather not have my boyfriend parading around in his underwear—“

He quirks an eyebrow. “Boyfriend, is it?”

“Don’t change the subject,” Scott says, as his ears turn pink with embarrassment. “I don’t need Sara ragging on me about this anymore than she already does.”

“You’re afraid of her?” Reyes says, still refusing the clothes from Scott. He groans, and flops onto the bed. Reyes bats his eyelashes and watches him fondly. “My dear Scott,” he says, “you are the Pathfinder! You can handle her!”

“You don’t know my sister. She’ll spend the first hour flirting with you and the rest of the visit telling me how I always was one for the flirty, bad boys–”

He chuckles, then, reaches out to pull the pillow from where Scott has it covering his head. Scott eyes him, suspicious. For a man as important as Scott, who has moved worlds to get things done, it’s incredible that he can fell Reyes with a look. But he can, and he does, and Reyes is helpless to resist, so he reaches out and runs his fingers through Scott’s hair. “She thinks I’m a bad boy?”

“When she finds out you’re the Charlatan?” Scott nods, his expression a little wild.  “She won’t just think it. She’ll  _know_  it.”

“A Ryder unaware of my soft side,” Reyes says, tapping his chin. “Hmm. I could use that to my advantage.”

“You’re impossible,” Scott moans, rolling onto his back. “Absolutely fucking impossible.”

Reyes makes a noise in his throat, and reaches forward for the t-shirt. “I suppose,” he says, rubbing the fabric of Scott’s favorite shirt between his thumb and forefinger, “a good first impression would be in my best interests.”

Scott turns to him with a glare. “Don’t,” he says, pointing at Reyes as he pulls the shirt over his head.

“Don’t what?” Reyes says, leaning forward to drop a kiss to Scott’s mouth, brushing his thumb at the corner of Scott’s lips after he pulls away. “I assure you I have innocent intentions.”

“Yeah, right. You don’t think having two Ryders in your good graces wouldn’t be beneficial to you? Especially Sara, you know the kind of experience she has with the Alliance—“

Reyes laughs as he stands from the bed, taking the pants Scott had brought nearly half an hour ago now and putting them on, making sure to pull them slow over his hips when Scott glances his way. “That’s not what I meant. I was thinking more along the lines of ensuring she believes her brother to be in good hands.”

“Hey,” Scott says, “she already knows that.” He sits up on the bed, pulling Reyes towards him until he’s standing between Scott’s open legs. “You don’t get to hear how much I talk you up.”

“I’m the Charlatan,” Reyes says, draping his arms over Scott’s shoulders, “I know more than you think.”


	5. John/Kaidan - The way I feel when I'm with you...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John/Kaidan - The way I feel when I'm with you...

this was an evil choice I’m just sayin

Kaidan’s hands are warm at Shepard’s shoulders, pressing against the knots in his muscles with practiced ease. He hums as he does it, and Shepard’s dozing off comfortably when Kaidan stops and wraps his arms around Shepard’s waist, resting his head on his shoulder.

In the quiet, low-light of the cabin, it’s easy to shelf what’s going on in the universe for later. To be able to forget. To have five minutes of sanity.

Shepard reaches down, puts his hand overtop of Kaidan’s, and leans back into him, breathes him in and relishes in the time between them, because not long from now, his alarm will chirp and it’ll be back into the heat of things.

For now, though, this is good. The gentle light, the calm swimming of the fish in the tank on the other side of the room. The press of Kaidan’s lips behind his ears.

“Shepard,” Kaidan says, nuzzling his nose against Shepard’s neck. No urgency in his voice this time. Something akin to a prayer, maybe. No demands, no requests.

Fuck, he’d missed this. He’s not sure they’ve ever really had it, in such a concrete way as this, but everything between them feels comfortable, like a natural progression from all those years back on Eden Prime. Like they’d known each other inside and out from day one. Talk about a turn on, Shepard thinks, craning his neck so Kaidan can kiss along his shoulders.

“Hey, be careful. Don’t want your neck to go back out.”

“This’d be a hell of a lot easier if you’d let me turn around.”

So Kaidan does, lets him straddle his lap, rest his arms over Kaidan’s shoulders. His hands are warm up his sides, too, trailing fingertips leaving goosebumps as they go. Kaidan offers a smile. To it, Shepard says, “See something you like?” all bravado, acutely aware of where Kaidan has stopped his hands, across one of the scars from cybernetics.

“I love you, Shepard,” he says, in a breath, and Shepard feels his heart race. The things he’s seen, what he’s been through, and Kaidan still gets his heart racing. A different kind of beast, love. Shepard’s never gotten to experience it as viciously as he has with Kaidan.

Shepard runs a hand through Kaidan’s hair. “Yeah, love you, too.”

Kaidan ducks his head, his eyes darting back and forth from hand to hand as he thinks. “You’re an incredible man,” he says, pressing his lips to Shepard’s chest, his collarbone. “Unbelievable, what you’ve accomplished.”

“I’ve got a good team behind me,” Shepard says, by means of explanation, as though it’s so simple. Maybe it is. Without them, Shepard wouldn’t have made it past Saren. He wouldn’t have made it back from the Omega-4 Relay.

He wouldn’t be sitting here, the love of his life beneath him, playing with the hair at the back of his neck, resting in the glow of a successful mission on the road to almost definite hell.

“You’re quite the leader, Shepard,” Kaidan continues. “An inspiration to all of us, out there.”

“Now you’re just flattering me.”

“No, I’m being serious. The way you make me feel is…” Kaidan says, then pauses, hesitating. Shepard brushes his thumb over the skin beneath his ear, drops a kiss to the top of his head, a silent encouragement. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?”

Shepard smiles, not quite as devious as he would normally. “I think I have some kind of idea.”

Kaidan laughs. “Don’t be so modest. But I’m serious, Shepard, you—you…” He shakes his head. “I’m not sure I have the words.”

A million one-liners run through his head, but Shepard doesn’t—couldn’t—say any of them. “I know,” he says, instead, because he does. It’s hard to explain, Shepard thinks, their bond. Like soulmates, if Shepard believed.

Kaidan makes him want to.

Shepard opens his mouth to say something when his alarm starts beeping—a call from Anderson downstairs. He sighs, and starts to pull off Kaidan.

“Just a second,” Kaidan says, pulling Shepard down by the back of his neck for a kiss, capturing his lower lip between his own, and Shepard melts against him—moves with him, rocks his hips on Kaidan’s lap, gets lost in the sensation.

He opens his mouth to say, “Kaidan,” and his alarm chirps again. He closes his eyes. Urgent, then. Shepard really shouldn’t put it off.

“Duty calls,” Kaidan says, but if he’s disappointed, he doesn’t let it show. He taps Shepard’s hip and lets him go, this time. Just before he gets up from the bed, Kaidan reaches for his wrist and says, “Come back to me, after.”

Shepard knows, with the Reapers, a lot of once-certainties have changed to unknowns, complicated by the war against an ancient race of machines that refuse to quit. But he’ll be damned if, after the dust has settled and the Reapers are finished, he’s not holding up his end of the bargain.


	6. Liam/Scott - You. Me. Movie marathon.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - You. Me. Movie marathon.

“Come on,” Liam starts, because Scott’s just sitting there, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the ground. He’s smaller, somehow, in the way that people get when they’re exhausted, and Liam’s entire body is buzzing with the sense of needing to  _do something_. He taps Scott’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

“You think,” he says, slowly, “there’s any chance of winning, here?”

For a second, the silence overwhelms the sounds of the Tempest around them. Liam waits, hesitating, before he takes a set next to Scott. Scott’s still clad in his armor, the N7 stripe of his father’s helmet that he holds in his hands a sharp contrast to the whites and greys of his Andromeda Initiative armor.

It fits, then; Scott’s a sharp contrast to his father, a glimmer of reality and humanity after the hardened machine that Alec Ryder was.

“I think if anyone’s got a chance at it,” Liam says, reaching out to grab Scott’s helmet, “it’s us.”

“Not the angara? Not the Nexus?”

Liam almost laughs–the angara, maybe, with enough power. The Nexus? “Yeah, right. Nexus doesn’t know when to do anything.”

“Kind of like the Council back home.” Scott’s lips turn upwards, the smile playing across his lips slowly. Liam holds his breath until the urge to kiss him fades away. “God, I remember how Shepard couldn’t get a word in edgewise about them.”

He lets the helmet go, and Liam sets it down beside him, gently. Reaches for a few of the latches on Scott’s arm and says, “Comparing yourself to Shepard?”

Scott makes a face. “Hell, no. Are you kidding me? I’m having a hard enough time handling this job as it is without comparing us.” He sighs, looks down to where Liam’s got half the latches undone already. He reaches for them, brushes his fingers against Liam’s, and says, “Sorry. It’s just…”

“I get it. It’s a lot for anyone to handle. Just remember to come out of your head sometimes, yeah?” He squeezes Scott’s fingers, just once, before he pulls away.

Scott gives him a long, unreadable look. Liam gives him a shaky smile, unsure what to expect. Then, his voice quiet and intimate, he says, “Thanks, Liam.”

Liam exhales, slow. “Come on,” he says, once Scott’s got his armor off and put away again, “You, me, movie marathon.”

A chuckle escapes Scott’s throat as he rubs at his neck. Good to know Liam’s not the only one nervous, then.

This thing between them, the shock and buzz that overcomes Liam anytime they touch—it’s been growing since they met. Liam thought, maybe, it was just the thrill of a new galaxy. But Scott’s more and more becoming one of his best friends, and that shock hasn’t once dissipated.

“You got the beer?” Scott asks, and Liam slaps a hand on his back, once, twice—and holds it there.

“You steal snacks from Vetra and I might share.”


	7. Liam/Scott - Be careful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Be careful

“Take the day,” Tann says, after the Archon’s flagship, when Scott makes it back to the Nexus barely in one piece, shaking under his armor and trying his best not to show it.

His team knows—sees right through him. Jaal’s voice goes low, for privacy, when he rests a hand on Scott’s shoulder after and says, “You should rest.”

The permission is nice, even if he doesn’t need it, so… He takes the advice. Not usually one for advice, but it’s a solid plan, so he heads back to the Tempest and crawls up onto his bed and sleeps, and dreams, and wakes up a every hour panting and sweating to an empty, dark room, SAM glowing from the corner of the room.

After a few hours have passed, though, something changes. “Nightmares again?” a voice asks—Liam. Scott’s halfway to the pistol he keeps in his nightstand before he recognizes him. It’s hard to make out his outline in the dim light, but he does.

Scott squints, rubs at his eyes. “How’d you get in here?”

“Don’t look at me,” Liam says, turning around and looking at Scott from across the room, his arm stretched out over the back of the sofa. “SAM thought it was a good idea, after what happened on the ship.”

“Thanks for ratting me out, SAM.” Scott sits up in the bed, running a hand over his hair. “Thought there was supposed to be some level of, you know, secrecy between us.”

“You were the one that mentioned secrecy breeds paranoia,” SAM says, sounding self-satisfied as an AI can. “I am simply working off what I know.”

Scott grunts, kicks his legs over the side and pads over to the couch. Liam’s dressed down in pajamas, anyway, and Scott’s tired enough, exhausted enough that he feels comfortable dropping to the couch, throwing a hand over Liam’s waist, and resting his head against his chest.

It’d almost be relaxing, if Scott’s nightmare wasn’t playing back through his head. Gasping on the floor of the Archon’s ship. SAM, strangely embodied, standing over him, amused.

“Need to talk about it?” Liam asks. Scott doesn’t—isn’t sure that there’ll be a good time to until after—whenever that is. So he shakes his head, and closes his eyes. Liam’s heart beats steady in his chest, and Scott’s almost asleep again when Liam speaks again. “I might.”

Scott’s eyes snap open, and he swallows, nervous. “Uh,” he starts, not quite sure if he should move. “Okay.”

“Just—you—“ A frustrated noise escapes his throat. “I know we’re not, you know, anything special,” he says, slow, his emotion barely contained. “’s not like I have a place to tell you to be careful, but—“

“What do you mean, we’re not anything special?” Scott asks. He doesn’t move, still, keeps his arm wrapped around Liam’s waist and starts tracing circles on the back of his hip. “Didn’t realize this was casual to you.”

“Not casual,” Liam says, “just… new.”

“New begets indifference, then.”

“Would you stop trying to pick a fight?” Liam asks. “I’m trying to tell you I care about you, and—“

Oh. Right. Scott stiffens again, and clears his throat.

“Don’t act so surprised,” Liam says. “Haven’t done a good job hiding it.” He moves his position so he can wrap an arm around Scott’s back, his hand resting at Scott’s shoulder. “Guessing I’m not alone in that, though.”

“No. Definitely not.” They hadn’t talked about it—not really—but Scott’s known for a while now that whatever it is between them is mutual, even if Liam still keeps his distance more often than not. It’s new.

“Gonna make a request, then,” Liam says, and Scott feels him relax, finally, as he starts thumbing at the edge of Scott’s shirt. “Be a little more careful. Gotta find out where this goes, you know?”


	8. Liam/Scott - Please stop doing that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - please stop doing that

Three days without food, without the Nomad, without comms on Kadara. Scott gets that he’s pissed, but this is ridiculous. “Liam. Come on.”

He’s flicking the lock on his datapad back and forth, back and forth. Each time it makes a loud ‘click’ noise, and Liam’s more and more obnoxious with it. Scott’s sitting across the table from him, desperately trying not to be an asshole about it. “Liam. Please.”

“Sorry, am I annoying you?” Liam asks, finally, the first word he’s said since they returned to the Tempest. He clicks the lock a few more times, glaring across the table at Scott. “I guess I didn’t take other people’s feelings into consideration.”

Scott rolls his eyes, refusing to take the bait. “It’s part of the job.”

“Beg to differ, Ryder–suicidal stunts are definitely not part of the job.” He clicks it again.

“Would you please stop?” Scott says, his voice snapping. “Just because I didn’t listen to you–”

“That’s not what this is about, and you know it.” Liam leans forward onto his elbows on the table. “You’re being reckless.”

Groaning, Scott stands from the table and says, “Not this again.”

“Lexi agrees with me,” Liam says, watching Scott with hard eyes. He’s not going to budge on this. “You’re putting yourself out there, and unnecessarily injuring yourself, and–”

Scott takes a deep breath. “You talked to Lexi about me?”

“It’s not a breech of confidentiality if it affects your team.” But Liam doesn’t look like he’s sure of that. Scott would be touched, in any other circumstance. He leans against the counter, presses his palms into his eyes. “Don’t act like it’s some surprise that your crew worries about you.”

“I’m surprised,” Scott says, “they don’t trust me.”

Liam stands, too, and steps closer to Scott. Not intimidating–he walks slowly, doesn’t quite step into Scott’s personal space, and keeps his hands to himself–for now, anyway. Until Scott can entice him otherwise. “This isn’t about trust. It’s about watching our stubborn, reckless Pathfinder throw himself into danger without cause–”

“It’s for a good cause! If I don’t keep you guys safe–”

“No.”

Scott tips his chin up. Liam’s not that much taller than him. It’s usually good, this close, to be reminded of the difference, that Liam could handle him easily, hardly any effort, but now he just feels too small. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Liam pauses, then sighs. “You really don’t give a shit about any of us, do you?”

“What? Of course I do–” Liam especially. Or, maybe not especially, but the idea that Liam thinks Scott doesn’t care about him… “You’re kidding me.”

“Then you realize how hypocritical you’re being” Liam looks a little helpless, resting a hand by Scott’s head. He’s close–close enough Scott can smell him. Scott’s usually not one for intoxicating smells, but Liam… and his mouth is right there, lips slightly parted and it’s all Scott wants to do, suddenly–lean forward and kiss him. “Stop putting yourself into danger for the people you care about.”


	9. Liam/Scott - Keep your head down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Keep your head down

Scott’s not for the dramatics—not really. Aside from the occasional terror-laden second in the Nomad, he’s really more about the calm times in life.

So he’s really a poor choice for Pathfinder, just for that—those situations where it calls for absolute levelheadedness, when Scott’s supposed to stand there in something akin to glory that means he’s capable.

Capable, maybe—as long as he can scream through it.

It’s lucky he has a good team, then, that’s learned to drown out the screaming while Scott shoots at fiends and runs headfirst into incoming ambushes.

It’s when he panic-thinks it’s a good idea to run into both, at once, a kett ambush that’s fighting a group of fiends, that he’s glad for his team.

Liam grabs him by the back of his armor before Scott can even take a breath in. “Head down,” Liam says, shoving Scott to the ground.

“Shouldn’t  _I_ be the one giving orders?” Scott asks, checking his gun, and his breathing, before looking up to Liam.

He grins behind the cover of his helmet, and nudges Scott with a shoulder. “Gotta keep my Pathfinder safe, don’t I?”

“Yeah, and what’s that about, anyway?”

Liam blinks a few times, feigning innocence. “What d’you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. Like I don’t notice you leaving Drack in the dust to follow my terrified ass around.”

There’s a sparkle in his eyes when he says, “You do have a great ass, Pathfinder.”


	10. Reyes/Scott - I'm not wearing that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - I'm not wearing that

“Please?” Reyes asks, pouting at Scott over the back of the couch. “It would make the meeting a lot better.”

Scott crosses his arms from across the room, and raises an eyebrow. “You just want to stake a claim.”

“Can you blame me? Handsome Pathfinder like yourself, you must have plenty of options across the galaxy.”

Scott snorts. “You’d be surprised at how few people are gunning to get in my pants.”

“And yet you chose me,” Reyes says, still touched, somehow. If he was a cartoon, his eyes would be in the shape of hearts. “So is it at all hard to believe that I might want to shout our love from the rooftops?”

Rolling his eyes, Scott goes back to packing up his things. “The rooftops. You just want to rub it in Nexus leadership’s face that the Pathfinder’s in your back pocket.”

Reyes hums and shrugs. “Well, more than my back pocket,” he says, standing up to meet Scott.

“Ugh,” is all Scott says in response, even when Reyes wraps his arms around his waist.

“You found the path into my heart, did you not?”

“You’re awful,” Scott says, but there’s the slightest hint of a blush on his cheeks and his voice is gentle, so Reyes drops a kiss to the back of his neck, smiling against his skin. “I’ll wear your damn shirt.”


	11. Reyes/Scott - You're pouring coffee all over the counter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - You're pouring coffee all over the counter

Scott doesn’t dress up—ever. There’s no reason to, most of the time. It’s either armor or his hoodie. It’s not like Tann’s going to impose a dress code, after all. No one would listen to him.

So when the celebration after Meridian occurs, Scott figures it’s only fair he dress up a little—with a suit, no less. Custom tailored and designed by someone on Kadara.

Scott’s never been one to admit he’s attractive. Objectively he knows he is, but there’s a difference between objectively and Reyes staring at him, mouth agape while he stands in the kitchen on the Tempest overfilling his coffee mug.

“You’re pouring coffee all over the counter,” Scott says, but he’s blushing.

Reyes swears, and rushes to clean up the mess with a towel hanging on the cupboard. “You look incredible,” he says, sounding like he’s stumbling over his words. “Here I thought I already knew how handsome I could get.”

Reyes isn’t wearing anything flashy—most of the Tempest crew isn’t. Scott feels a little out of place, but since Tann asked—more like demanded—he make a speech, he didn’t really see a way out of it. “I’m full of secrets,” Scott says, stepping forward and pinning Reyes to the cupboards.

His eyes dip to Scott’s lips, and he chuckles. “I think I might have a plan for that suit of yours. Once we’re back here tonight.”

“We’re not coming back here tonight,” Scott says, quiet, against Reyes’ ear. He pulls at Reyes’ shirt—Scott’s shirt—and runs his hands over his stomach. Reyes’ breath hitches in his throat. “I got us a room on the Nexus.”

“You spoil me,” Reyes tells him.


	12. Reyes/Scott - I've been running on 5 hour energy all day, there's no stopping now.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - I've been running on 5 hour energy all day, there's no stopping now.

“Would you take a minute,” Reyes says, reaching for Scott’s arm, “and think?”

A thirty second vid from the Tempest and Scott’s lifting himself out of Reyes’ bed and putting his armor back on. If he can just get him to wait—

But Scott’s brow is creased in determination, his shoulders a hard line. “Too late for that.”

Reyes wonders, then, if he can hear the recklessness in his own voice. “I’m certainly biased,” he adds, gripping Scott’s elbow and jerking him around so they’re facing each other, “but I would prefer for you to return in one piece.”

He expects, based on Scott’s expression, to be told to back off, but when Scott’s eyes meet his, some of the fifth goes out of them. “Right.”

“You’ll find him,” Reyes says, earnestly, gripping the back of Scott’s neck in his other hand. “That is what you do, isn’t it? In time”

“I’m finding him today,” Scott says, pulling away to reach for his chestplate. “I’ve been running on energy drinks for three days trying to find him.” He turns back to Reyes, sees him sitting there, disappointed, and ducks down to press a kiss to his lips. “I’ll be back to celebrate on Kadara.” His voice is quiet, and low. “Think you can rig up some sort of party?”

The idea of celebrating a win with Scott does sound enticing—but Reyes is still stuck on how Scott’s going off on a plan half-cocked with very little information. “I think you’re underestimating this Archon,” he says, resting his hands on Scott’s elbows. “Would you please be careful? I’ve become rather attached to you, you know.”

Scott doesn’t look any less wild, with more energy than he knows what to do with buzzing through him, but what Reyes says does seem to put some sense in his head. “Of course. Always am.”


	13. Reyes/Scott - Is it okay if I sleep in your bed tonight? I'm kind of freaked out.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Is it okay if I sleep in your bed tonight? I'm kinda freaked out.

Architects are big. Scott remembers the vids of Sovereign back from the Citadel, and the Architect has nothing on him—but it’s still terrifying enough that, when all is said and done with, and Scott’s holding a gun emptied of ammo and a biotic implant that feels like it’s going to fry his skin, Scott feels like crying in relief.

“All right,” he says, pulling himself up from where he’s bracing himself on his knees, “back to Kadara.”

If anyone wonders why they don’t just return to the Tempest, they don’t ask.

Reyes is busy when Scott stops by his room, but he waves him in anyway. “Good to see you,” he says, but he sounds distracted—he’s typing out a message on his omni-tool. Scott starts taking his armor off, a nervous buzz building in his stomach. “It’s been too long.”

“It’s been two days.”

Reyes spares him a glance. “So you agree.”

Scott sighs, makes short work of his armor, and waits for Reyes to finally look at him. A few minutes go by, Scott admiring how much Reyes’ room has changed since they first met, and when Reyes finally does say something to him, it’s, “What are you doing all the way over there?”

“Can I crash with you tonight?” Scott says. It’s the first time he’s ever asked. There’s never been enough time off for them to stay the night. Scott’s not even sure he’s ever even seen Reyes’ bed—it’s always a lazy hand job on the couch or a blowjob against the locked door or Scott drifting off with his head in Reyes’ lap. “Took down the Architect today. Still kind of freaked out.”

Reyes’ eyes widen, and he says, “Really? Never let it be said again that a Pathfinder can’t get things done.” He stands up, coming towards Scott to rest his arms on Scott’s shoulders. “Of course you can stay the night. I’d be honored.”

“Architects are huge,” Scott says, letting Reyes lead him to his bedroom. “I don’t know how Shepard fought off thresher maws and Reapers. I nearly shit myself facing this thing down.”

Chuckling, Reyes sets Scott down on his bed—which is almost as nice as his bed on the Tempest, Scott notes with surprise—and says, “Glad it didn’t come to that.”

Scott watches him as he moves about the room, from his dresser to the small bathroom to brush his teeth. Scott should do the same, but he’s so tired, and it’s hard enough to wait to tip over for Reyes to return as it is.

“Thanks,” Scott says, when Reyes returns, shutting off lights and letting the small table lamp light the room in a soft, yellow glow. Reyes winks, but the smile is softer than Scott would’ve expected. “I, uh—I thought our first night together would be a little more romantic, but…”

“One thing at a time.” Reyes lays down, pats the bed beside him. Scott crawls into bed, on top of the covers, and closes his eyes as Reyes wraps his arms around Scott, pulling him close. Scott sighs, closes his eyes and presses his face against Reyes’ chest.

It’s easy to forget about the two meetings on the Nexus and the trip across the cluster tomorrow with Reyes’ hand drawing circles across Scott’s back, his legs tangled between Scott’s. His breathing evens out as his heartbeat finally settles, and Scott thinks, given the choice, he might not ever leave.


	14. John/Kaidan - The way you make me feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John/Kaidan - The way you make me feel

Kaidan’s been looking at Shepard for years. He’s all muscle, lean and strong even without his biotics. A terrifying force of nature in his own right, which is likely why he was chosen for the N7 program in the first place.

But it’s still surprising that there’s a softness underneath it all, that Shepard bruises and bleeds like every other human. Kaidan always knew—had known from the start that Shepard wasn’t the invincible machine everyone else thought he was—but there’s something different about knowing that and feeling it under your own hands.

“See anything you like?” Shepard asks from across the room, as he’s pulling off a pair of jeans and stretching out his bad leg. Kaidan’s still lying in bed, propped on an elbow, watching and waiting for Shepard to join him.

Kaidan doesn’t answer, just reaches out to Shepard as he steps closer to the bed, catching him around the hips and running his thumbs over the dips and curves of his muscles. Shepard chuckles as he does it, and Kaidan’s heart swells with a kind of happiness he hasn’t known in years.

Kaidan’s still trying to find the words when Shepard leans down and kisses him. No rush, no pressure. When he pulls away, he’s smiling, drawing his fingers through Kaidan’s hair. “I love it when you do that,” he says, letting his eyes fall back closed, and wrapping an arm around Shepard’s waist so they can fall into bed.

“Just that?” Shepard asks with a roll of his hips against Kaidan’s. “I’m a man of many talents, you know.”

Kaidan chuckles, rolling so Shepard’s positioned atop him. “Definitely one of your finer points.”

“Yeah?” Shepard rests the weight of his upper body on an arm, using one of his legs to kick open Kaidan’s. “What are the others?”

Normally, Kaidan would laugh it off, insist Shepard’s begging for a compliment—but he’s been on extended shore leave for so long, Kaidan knows he’s struggling finding worth outside of the Alliance. “Your compassion,” he says, and lifts his head to press another kiss to Shepard’s lips. “Determination…”

“Reading off my resume?”

“The way you make me feel,” Kaidan adds. “Not sure there are words for how much I love you, Shepard.”

There’s a simplicity in the statement, sure, but it holds more weight for either of them than Kaidan thought it could. Shepard drops his gaze, an embarrassed smile playing at his lips, and when he drops his weight to rest on Kaidan, Kaidan feels the whispered ‘I love you, too’ against the skin of his neck.


	15. Liam/Scott - dancing in our socks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - dancing in our socks

“I can’t dance,” Scott says, laughing as Liam holds out his hand and makes eyes that would put a puppy to shame.

He’s standing in the middle of their empty apartment on Eos, actual, hardwood floors under his feet. A small stack of boxes line the wall behind him, and Liam’s ratty couch from the Tempest is the only other furniture in the room.

“Neither can I,” Liam says. “You don’t see that stopping me.”

So Scott shakes his head and accepts his hand, curling the other down to Liam’s hip and behind his back. “The things you get me into,” Scott says, smiling.

“Hey, I think you have me beat on that. Wild goose chase across the galaxy for a mysterious hostile alien leader?” Liam grins. “A little domestic slow dancing in our new home seems tame.”

There’s a soft song playing from Liam’s omni-tool, with a simple enough melody even Scott can keep track of it. “Can you believe it?” he asks, as Liam traces his fingers across the top of Scott’s shoulders. “New home on a new planet in a new galaxy…”

“Kind of like a dream, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Scott says, but then a lot about being with Liam is like a dream. “You know, I worried for a long time if I’d regret this. Moving to a new galaxy, even with Sara and Dad, just felt like I was making the wrong decision the entire time.”

Liam doesn’t move his feet much, just keeps them more or less swaying—hardly dancing, but probably the better choice since Liam’s wearing socks. “For what it’s worth,” Liam says, his expression open and honest, “I’m glad you came.”

He thinks, for a second, what it’d be like back in the Milky Way—miserable, lonely. Unemployed, more than likely. He’d lost his standing in the Alliance because of his father—and it’s unlikely he would’ve survived the Reapers—if anyone did.

But that’s not what matters. That’s not what makes the decision feel right in Scott’s mind. It’s not that he’s respected here, or that he was allowed to do a job here that did, in time, pull him from his father’s shadow.

It’s Liam—honest and loyal and determined, and so damned intent on making Andromeda work he inspired Scott to make Pathfinder something people could hear and sigh in relief.

“So am I,” Scott says. He doesn’t say any of the rest—not even an ‘I love you’, which are exchanged with such regularity Scott’s surprised it still floods his entire body with warmth when Liam returns it—but Liam smiles, in that soft, reverent way he has, before he pulls Scott towards him in a hug.


	16. Reyes/Scott - There was never an us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - There was never an us.

This isn’t how he expected his Monday to go. Or any other day, if he’s being honest. But here he is, pointing a gun at who, up until just a few minutes ago, Scott was pretty sure he’d be spending the rest of his life with.

“You used me,” Scott says. Across the room, looking as casual as can be, Reyes navigates the cave with a kind of lazy ease—like this doesn’t bother him. “I thought…”

“That was your first mistake,” Reyes says, sounding like he does, truly, pity Scott. “Trusting an exile? A wonder you’ve accomplished anything in this galaxy.”

He steps forward, closer. Scott trusts himself not to pull the trigger—doesn’t think he can say the same for Liam. “Not another step,” he says, but if Reyes kept coming towards him, would he stop him? He’s still hoping there’s something to this, that Reyes is going to turn back around and tell him he’s kidding. That he didn’t use Scott for Nexus intel, that it wasn’t his goal all along to pull a stunt like this.

In retrospect, Scott should have known. The entire galaxy should have known. You kick out a bunch of people onto an unknown planet, you’re going to suffer from the backlash eventually. The Initiative should’ve known better.

Reyes smiles, but holds his distance. “You know, in another galaxy, I think we might have been friends. Perhaps something else.”

The thought now makes him sick to his stomach. The Nexus isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and Scott’s seen enough of Tann to know that he doesn’t have the best interests. But Reyes thinking he and Scott might have made it, somewhere else… “I don’t think so.”

“Do not blame yourself,” Reyes says, almost sounding sincere—like he had in their more intimate encounters. Hearing it now, knowing it’s a lie—makes Scott’s skin crawl in ways he didn’t think possible. He’d trusted Reyes—more importantly, loved him. “I can be convincing when I need to be.”

A gun goes off—Liam’s, from a few feet away. It doesn’t hit Reyes, just gets one of the stalagmites on the floor. Reyes doesn’t even jump. “Leave,” Scott says, dropping his gun. He feels shaky, like his legs are going to give out underneath him. “If I ever see you again—“

“All bets are off,” Reyes says, but he’s smiling. Nothing like the small, intimate ones he’d faked before, something more coy. A con in itself.

Had he been faking, or had Scott been so desperate for affection he hadn’t noticed?

“One more thing, Pathfinder,” he says, as he backs away. “It was a pleasure getting to know you. A shame we are on opposite sides of this conflict, truly.”

Another shot, but Reyes is quick to disappear, and Scott sighs a breath of relief. Kadara’s not safe, anymore—hasn’t been for a while—and now he doesn’t even have Reyes’ protection. All bets are already off, he thinks.

“Scott…” Liam starts, as Vetra moves towards Scott to awkwardly pat at his back. He doesn’t seem to know what to say. Scott’s not sure he’s got any idea what he wants to hear.

“Back to the Tempest,” he says, holstering his gun and turning heel on where Reyes has disappeared. “We’ll radio Ditaeon on the way.”

“You think they’ll be safe?” Vetra says. “If Vidal’s hoping for revenge on the Nexus…”

But Scott knew him—didn’t he? Maybe not all of him. Maybe the romance was fake, but the rest… “He won’t hurt them,” he says. There’s too many innocents. Reyes wasn’t interested in losing innocents over Sloane Kelly—what makes Tann any different? “But I’d rather not have Initiative defending themselves.”

“Ryder,” Liam says, stern this time. Scott turns his attention to him, and, just for a split second, sees the concern on his and Vetra’s faces. “That wasn’t just a blow to the Nexus. You okay?”

No, he wants to say—it feels like his heart’s been stepped on, and there’s a shake to his body that’s completely new to him. He’s had shitty relationships before—casual hookups with insults spoken like compliments, boyfriends more interested in status than Scott—

This is different. Scott’s not really sure what it is.

But those times, back then, he was alone. Here—he’s got a ship full of a family of misfits, and the expression on Liam’s face is open and honest. Even if Scott’s feeling a little shaky with trust, these people are different.

“I think so,” he says. In time, maybe. While he waits around for the hurt to disappear, though, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to rip the rug out from underneath Reyes’ feet when he least expects it.


	17. Liam/Scott - Stop hogging all the blankets!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Stop hogging all the blankets!

“It’s subzero temps outside,” Liam says, “could you at least share?”

Scott peers out from his mountain of blankets. “You told me we had enough blankets.”

Liam groans, pulling at the corner of one of the covers until Scott reluctantly gives his up. It’s not bad inside—the Tempest thermoregulates well, even on planets as cold as Voeld—but there’s still a bitter coolness to the air when most of the Tempest’s systems are off. “I thought we did! I requisitioned Nexus for two dozen more. That’s at least two per person.”

Scott feels bad, just a little—not Liam’s fault they got stuck in political red tape and Aya doesn’t want them setting foot on Voeld until they can settle matters. Liam does look cold, and the man emanates warmth like nothing else. Scott wonders if there’s enough room for two in his mountain of blankets. Smaller blanket-to-person ratio, but Liam’s warmth’ll more than make up for it. “Come here.”

Liam doesn’t waste time, pulling at the blankets until he can curl into Scott’s side. “About time,” he says, resting his head on Scott’s shoulder. “Thought I’d have to promise a blowjob or two before you’d come to your senses.”

Scott’s already warmer. “You mean I could’ve held out for a better deal?” Liam just laughs. “We could find a quicker way to warm up, you know… Nice big bed in my quarters…”

“Keep it in your pants,” Liam says, but he’s laughing. “Not a bad idea for later, though. Hold that thought?”


	18. Reyes/Scott - flustered Reyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - flustered Reyes

“I like you, Reyes,” Scott says, because the flirting is old and tiring, and maybe it’s because there’s so much red tape in the rest of his life, with the Nexus and the Angara, he’s tired of skirting around this, too.

Reyes’ eyes widen, just a split second, before he leans forward on the bar and winks. “I’m a likable man, Ryder. You have good taste”

And Scott wants to scream, because if Reyes gets it, he doesn’t want to admit it. “No,” Scott says, staring down at the bar, at the cups in front of him, steeling his nerves. “I mean, let’s—go for dinner, or a vid, or—“

Realization seems to dawn on Reyes, and he clears his throat. Just like that, Scott thinks he’s been reading the situation all wrong—that Reyes flirts for the sake of it, that there’s no meaning behind his words, that he doesn’t have intent.

But then Reyes laughs, a light, nervous sound, and Scott turns to look at him—he’s ducked his head, turning away from Scott. Maybe he’s just trying to find the words to let me down easy, Scott thinks, but the words come out of Reyes’ mouth chopped and stuttered.

“I—Scott, that’s—“ Another chuckle. “I didn’t—are you sure?”

“Am I sure what?” Scott asks, trying to memorize the way Reyes looks, right now—the confidence all but gone, replaced with all the markings of a man caught off guard. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Reyes taps his fingers on the bar in front of them. “I thought you were interested in a partnership strictly business. Had I realized…” He trails off, and nudges Scott’s hand with his own after a few seconds pass. “Sorry,” he says, “I’m not used to people being—sincere.”

That hurts more than it should—Reyes is a good man, there’s no doubt about that. Playing by the rules doesn’t make you good—morality’s grayer than that. “I was thinking somewhere on Aya,” Scott says. “If they’ll let us.”

“Oh?” Reyes turns to face him, a look of genuine fondness in his eyes. Scott feels his chest flutter with excitement. “I’m sure between the two of us we can cash in some favors.”


	19. Reyes/Scott - It's lonely here without you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - It's lonely here without you

“…maybe I’m just selfish,” Reyes says, as the feed fuzzes a little. His eyes are lit up, his mouth stretched in a smirk. “How long until you’re back on Kadara?”

Too long, Scott thinks, staring at the reports in front of him. “Two weeks, maybe, if everything goes well on Voeld.” He sighs, throwing down the data pad in his hands and looking up at Reyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Such is the life of a Pathfinder,” Reyes says, using his hand to prop up his head on the table in front of him. He looks so good, even projected in front of Scott in eerie blues. A little tired, a little sad. “Though, it is lonely here without you.”

Scott snorts. “I told you to get a pet. You can’t exactly play nice with the locals.”

Reyes chuckles. All Scott wants to do is reach forward and draw his fingers over his jaw, his lips as they curl into a smile. He misses him—a harsher, stronger feeling than Scott’s had since waking in Andromeda and finding out Sara would be okay.

He’s never had a long-distance relationship before. Kind of hopes that someday, it won’t be, even if he knows Reyes will never leave Kadara.

Someday, he thinks.

“I miss you,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “I wish you were here.”

Reyes’ expression softens, and Scott suddenly wishes he hadn’t said anything, ducks his head and averts his eyes. “Scott,” Reyes says, quiet. There’s no words to sooth him—they’re both needed in different places in the galaxy, and Scott would just abandon the Initiative—if it wasn’t important. If they had someone else to take his place.

“Just a couple weeks, right?” Scott says, tidying up the data pads on his bed. “Think I’ll call in some vacation days, really make the most of it. I just really need to see you.”

There’s no mincing words—he hates this. Knows Reyes does, too, even if he hides it with smiles and flirting and the occasional vid Scott has to make sure he’s alone to watch. A long vacation—even a few days—will do both of them some good.

“Looking forward to it,” Reyes says, a sensual note to his voice Scott hasn’t heard in so long, it sends shivers down his spine.


	20. John/Kaidan - I tried to picture me without you but I can't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John/Kaidan - I tried to picture me without you but I can't

Shepard’s a man of action. Always has been, and he’s not sure he can imagine himself ever changing. He’d told Kaidan how he felt, back on the SR-1, and it was so unlike himself to admit that and want something for himself, he’d felt guilty about it for years.

Which is why, with Kaidan back on the Normandy, fighting the Reapers with him, Shepard really doesn’t want to bring it up again. The words aren’t there, and Shepard’s never been good with them anyway.

Actions speak louder, sure, but also clearer.

“There you are,” Kaidan says, when Shepard steps into the lounge for a drink. “I’ve been looking for you all day.”

Shepard swallows, standing still in the doorway and waiting. Kaidan raises his glass, says, “Whiskey behind the bar,” and Shepard almost breathes a sigh of relief.

He busies himself making his drink, but the silence doesn’t last long. Kaidan’s the one to break it, with a heavy sigh and a, “Hard to believe Saren led us here, isn’t it?”

In response, Shepard just takes a drink.

“I was thinking,” Kaidan says, and Shepard feels like, more than ever, kissing him. “How different things used to be, on the SR-1.”

Shepard stares down into the amber liquid in his glass, and tries not to let his shoulders tense up. “No kidding.”

A beat passes between them, and Kaidan clears his throat. It’s awkward as hell, and Shepard knows what Kaidan’s thinking—that he just can’t wait to get out of here and away from him, but Shepard’s wanted nothing, not since Horizon, than having Kaidan back on his team. If words are going to set the record straight… “The SR-1 was better in a lot of ways, though, wasn’t it?”

Kaidan gives him a look—he could always see right through him. “This isn’t about the Reapers, is it?”

Shepard grips his glass tightly, looks down at his hands and says, “I don’t want to presume,” he starts, “and I know a lot of time went by and a lot of things changed, but—“

It’s hard to believe—Shepard’s stared down Reapers singlehandedly, fought off Collectors and thresher maws, but it’s this that terrifies him. “Imagining my life without you, it’s…” He laughs humorlessly, shakes his head. He still can’t meet Kaidan’s eyes, afraid of the rejection that could be there. “Sorry. Just—doesn’t feel right.” A few seconds pass in silence and, after asking, “Am I off track?” Shepard raises his head to look Kaidan in the eyes.

“No,” Kaidan says, a smile playing at his lips. “The way things have been going, I wasn’t sure you’d ever ask.”

Shepard loosens his grip on his glass, sighing in relief. “So, how do we start? Where do we go from here?”

Kaidan’s already turning his attention back to his omni-tool. “Thinking we start with a nice dinner on the Citadel,” he says, but when he looks back at Shepard, his eyes are alit with a desire Shepard hasn’t seen in far too long.

Actions speak louder, but the first time after that night when Kaidan says ‘I love you’ against Shepard’s lips… He wouldn’t give that up for anything.


	21. Liam/Scott - He's dead because of you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - He's dead because of you

There’s a downside to being a biotic, Scott thinks, as he stares across the field at Liam, who’s being crushed at a fiend’s feet. There’s the superhuman powers that make you a mean fucker on the battlefield, but it also means that sometimes, you’re out of power, out of range, when you really need it.

He makes quick work of the fiend, but Liam’s still gasping for breath at Scott’s feet. Behind him he can hear Peebee calling for the Tempest, but Scott’s dropping to his knees, gripping Liam’s hand in his own. “Just a few minutes, hey?” Scott says, hoping his voice doesn’t give away how terrified he is. “Can you do that for me?”

He’s not expecting an answer—doesn’t want one, either. There’s nothing he can do, either, except hold Liam’s hand in his own and fucking panic. Not until the Tempest gets them out, and Lexi patches him up.

He can feel his own breathing becoming uneven, too. “Please,” Scott says, pressing his lips to Liam’s knuckles, but what he’s asking for, Scott doesn’t even know.

Liam’s the only reason Scott’s been successful at all. He’s never led before, he’s never done anything that amounts to this kind of caliber at all—and his success rides on his team. Without Liam…

The Tempest gets there in time. Lexi makes fixing him look like child’s play. Scott’s not sure how many times he thanks her, but eventually she starts looking a little awkward. “Scott,” she says, grasping his hands in hers. “Just go talk to him.”

“He’s awake?”

It’s not common knowledge—not yet—that Scott and Liam are—whatever they are, but Lexi seems to know, anyway. “I think he’d like to see you.”

He doesn’t look as bad as Scott expected, either. Bruises dot all along his chest, only partially hidden by bandages, but he still manages a smile, anyway, and pats his hand on the bed. “Wondered when you might stop by. I’ve been begging Lexi for hours.”

Scott’s always admired Liam’s body—he looks more the soldier part than Scott ever has—but here he almost looks… small. “You’re okay?” Scott asks, stepping forward and letting the door close behind him.

“I’m good, thanks to Lexi.” Liam pauses, waits for Scott to sit down before he asks, “Are you?”

Scott chokes out a laugh. “You’re asking me? I’m not the one that nearly got crushed by a fiend.”

“Not nearly,” Liam says, but he’s still smiling. He pats the bed again. Scott finally sits with him. “Did.”

Scott reaches for his hand, intertwines their fingers. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he says, finally. It’s not his fault—logically, he knows that—but it doesn’t stop the words from falling from his mouth anyway. “If I’d just have been a little faster…”

“Nope,” Liam says, squeezing Scott’s hand. “You don’t get to blame yourself for this. This is all on me.” He reaches forward with his other hand, brushes his thumb across Scott’s knuckles. “Gotta watch out for my Pathfinder, don’t I?”


	22. Liam/Scott - I think I'm in love with you, and I'm terrified"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - I think I'm in love with you, and I'm terrified

Scott’s not sure how it started. He knows it was sometime after the Archon’s flagship, but drinking with Liam wasn’t always like this.

At first, it’s little things—“I stole from Vetra’s stash”, “I sent around the joke about Tann”—but after the flagship, Scott opens his beer and looks down at the rim of his can and says, “Sometimes I wish my father had lived instead.”

There’s no response, not verbally. Liam knocks his knee against Scott’s and doesn’t say anything.

And that’s the start.

It only escalates from there. Liam tells him, not long after, when the vid’s over and Scott’s thinking he’s just going to sleep here, curled up at Liam’s feet. Liam exhales, heavy, and says, “I really wish I hadn’t come to Andromeda.”

They’re not always the soul-baring truths that leave them feeling raw and wounded. Scott tells Liam about Reyes, and for the first time, doesn’t feel like an idiot for liking his attention. There’s the night Liam tells Scott it wasn’t just cultural information he and Jaal shared.

But it’s quiet, and it’s secret, and it’s safe—and Scott doesn’t, not once, think that Liam’s going to tell another soul.

Then, after they’ve finished watching a vid from early twenty-second century filled with romantic cliches and terrible overacting, Liam takes a breath and brushes his fingers over the back of Scott’s neck.

“I think I’m in love with you,” Liam says, and Scott feels his breath catch in his throat. “And I’m terrified.”

It’s not quite a rule that they don’t talk about it, but Scott just nudges his knee against Liam’s, an unspoken encouraging, ‘it’s fine,’ and not five minutes later Scott’s entire world resets.

He thinks, for a minute, he’d missed his opportunity, that now Liam’s left the secret in the past, and a potential has come and gone—but the next time they have beer, after Scott weathers the blow of the turian ark, Scott doesn’t mince words. He reaches for Liam’s beer and sets it aside with still hands, from determination and the confidence of knowing there’s a net to catch you when you jump off the ledge.

This shouldn’t be a secret, not with them. He swallows, and says, “I think I’m in love with you, too.”


	23. Liam/Scott - Don't you dare throw that snowball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Don't you dare throw that snowball

Andromeda doesn’t give the familiarity of the Milky Way, most of the time. It’s dark, and unknown, and weird. Scott’s not just saying that because he’s homesick, either—it’s just all around kind of a different experience all together.

Even the people that like Andromeda, that ran away from the Milky Way in the hopes of finding something for them—Scott’s talked with enough people to know it exists beyond just himself.

So there’s not a lot of simple pleasures in Andromeda—no ice cream, not in the way Scott remembers it, not enough coffee for a hundred thousand humans, nothing like there was back home. The stars are different, the seasons are different—

Except Voeld. It’s storming on the better days, still, since Scott still hasn’t made his way to the vault, and even the grumpiest of the crew gets out and smiles.

A little.

At first.

Then there’s the wet armor, the smell of sweat from too-hot suits. Scott considers incinerating a perfectly good set of underarmor because it smells that bad.

But it’s good, familiar. Scott especially likes how easy it is to get a rise out of Liam, who huddles close to him and frowns across the snowy landscape.

“Wanna make snow angels?” Scott asks, smiling. Liam just makes a noise. “All right. Snowmen, then?”

“I’m already soaked through,” Liam says, finally looking at him. “When can we go back to the Tempest? Got a few ideas to warm up.”

His voice goes a little sensual, and Scott has to focus his attention on anything else just to get through it. “Come on, when was the last time you played in the snow? Built a snowman?”

“Probably when I was a kid, Ryder, and—what’s that look?”

Scott’s already backing away, though, and he reaches down to grab a handful of snow. “Last time you had a snowball fight?”

“No,” Liam says, firm, and holds his hand out. “No, I mean it—“

“Come on!” Scott laughs. “Little harmless fun! Destressing’ll do you good!”

The snow’s perfect for packing. The ball fits nicely in the palm of his hand and it crumbles easy. No ice, no rocks. Just snow.

Scott lifts his arm. In his helmet, Scott hears him say, “Don’t you dare.”

“What’re you gonna do to me if I do?” Scott asks.

“I’ll… make you sleep alone?”

Scott grins. Liam can’t help himself with that, so Scott lets the snowball fly, and catches Liam in the stomach. The snowball explodes into a flurry of snow that scatters into the wind and falls at Liam’s feet.

Liam brushes it off. Through the comm, Scott hears him sigh.

His entire body feels alight with excitement.

“All right,” Liam says, “you’re in for it now.”

He’s faster than Scott expected him to be, and he yelps, surprised, when Liam’s fingers barely grip at his armor.

He gets a few good shots in—one even hits Liam right on the visor of his helmet—and deals with a few well placed blows himself, until Liam loses interest in the fight and tackles Scott into the ground.

“Not quite what I had in mind for a warm-up,” Liam says, staring down into Scott’s eyes.

“Hey, I never said this was the main event,” Scott responds, running his hand along the side of Liam’s chest. “Maybe it’s just the first part of my plan.”

For a few seconds, it’s just the sound of their breathing, until Liam adds, “I really want to kiss you.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

Back to the Tempest they go, then. They’re probably wondering what’s taking so long anyway. Scott pushes a hand against Liam’s chest, and says, “Gotta get me out of my armor, first. Think you’re up to the task?”


	24. Liam/Scott - It's not what it looks like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - It's not what it looks like

“Right,” Liam says, slow, his eyes glued to the video playing from Scott’s omnitool.

He’s not really sure what to do. Liam’s stuck just inside the doorway to Scott’s quarters, holding an armful of popcorn and beer, and Scott’s got a hand down the front of his jeans, vintage porn still playing off his phone.

The sound’s quiet, but it doesn’t make the loud, over-acted moans playing any less embarrassing.

Scott tries a smile, but it’s offset by the blush rising on his cheeks. “I’d like to say it’s not what it looks like, but—“

"I should--" Liam jerks his hand behind him, and doesn't finish his sentence--just disappears. The door shuts behind him.

Scott throws his head back and groans. He could've asked Liam to join, in another universe, or explained that he really wasn't trying to get caught, that it's just been so long--centuries, if they were being technical--and he's so pent up--

And instead, it's a week of awkward missions and stunted conversation, all because Scott didn't consider locking his door.

Liam walks in on him again that weekend, to Scott looking through reports in the kitchen on the Tempest.

And it’s awkward again. Scott hesitates, then jumps to action. “Oh—“ he says, starting to gather datapads. "Sorry, I can--"

But Liam's got a stone-hard stare and a determined set to his shoulders. He leans against the doorframe, aiming for casual and missing it. "Didn't figure you for a vintage porn kind of guy."

Scott goes red. "Yeah, I just--you know, there's all the omnitool attachments to make it all feel real, but I always thought that was weird. What's enticing about the real thing if you can trick your senses?"

"I get that," Liam says. "Something to be said for human contact, right?"

Scott looks down to Liam's hands. Strong, and soft, and—fuck. Gotta be good to feel those hands on your body. He swallows. "Yeah."

"I hope I'm not being too forward, here--" Scott almost snorts. Too forward. "Ha, yeah. Guess that's more your area."

He does bark out a laugh, there. "Fuck, I'm sorry--it really wasn't on purpose, I swear. It's just been..." He scratches at an ear. Nothing like admitting it's been forever since he got laid to a guy he's usually fantasizing about. "Been a long time."

“Yeah." Liam steps forward into the room, drops into the seat next to Scott. Scott thinks the conversation's over, glad to be past it, when Liam says, "Question for you."

"Yeah?"

He watches Liam’s hand drop to his thigh, trailing fingers along the seam of his pants. ”How d'you feel about a mutually beneficial kind of situation?"


	25. Liam/Scott - We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?

In the distance, Scott can almost make Cora’s voice out. The winds howl around him, the thunder cracking loudly—Scott should find his way to cover. They don’t know how bad storms can get, and Scott doesn’t really want to find out.

But there’s something about rainstorms that feels, unlike everything else here, like home. So he takes his helmet off, waves off to Cora that he’s fine. The rain pelts at his face, and something like nostalgia makes its home in the pit of Scott’s stomach.

From behind him, Liam claps a hand on his shoulder. “Ryder, let’s go!”

In the midst of Mother Nature’s chaos, though, Scott doesn’t get the urgency. “What’s the rush?”

Liam just blinks for a minute, then points down where the Nomad is, where Cora’s waiting. “Storm’s gonna be bad! Radar’s predicting golf-ball sized hail!”

His voice gets a little lost in the storm. In response, Scott pulls off one of his gloves. “It’ll be fine!”

“ETA’s five minutes, Ryder!” Liam watches as water pools in the palm of his hand, and says, “We’re standing in the storm of the century, and you want to stop and feel the rain?”

“Come on, Kosta, you’re a man of simple pleasures!”

“Yeah, not when they can get me killed!”

Scott almost rolls his ees. “Says the man who took me jumping off heights.”

Liam reaches for his wrist, turns Scott so they’re looking at each other, and says, “Not when it could get you killed.”

There’s a fire in Liam’s eyes, an emotion in his voice harsher than Scott’s used to, brought on by determination and fierce loyalty. The realization hits him, fast, as the rain starts to downpour around them. It could be as simple as worrying about his superior, as simple as worrying about his friend–but even as he considers it, it feels wrong to call it that. That can’t be all it is–there’s something else.

The storm lasts a few hours, but Scott still finds himself back outside when it’s over, holding his palm out to catch water as it sprinkles down.

From across outpost, Liam catches his eye, and smiles–bright and pleased–and waves at him.

It’s just a wave. But Scott still can’t Scott takes a deep breath, lifts his hand, and waves back.


	26. Liam/Scott - Have you slept?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Have you slept?

The nights on the Tempest are the hardest. After everyone’s gone to bed, passed out in their bunks and Scott’s left staring over the galaxy map, shoulders hunched as he leans over the railing.

There’s two sides to being human for Scott—there’s the feeling of invincibility that comes with adrenaline, with pure rage and the blue fuzz of biotics along his skin. A whirlwind of asskicking and terror, the body a weapon in and of itself.

And then there’s the equally terrifying fragility that comes after.

Scott’s not so fond of the second one, but they tend to come hand in hand, when his implant buzzes with overuse and his entire body feels weak and shaky and he’s recounting the mission in his mind, alone in the silence with his own thoughts.

The night after Meridian’s the worst.

Scott grips the railing until his knuckles go white, and locks his shoulders to hold his body up. He’s shaking apart, or it feels like it, flashes of the Archon, the Hyperion, Meridian, Sara—

He takes a breath, holds it, and exhales.

“Have you slept?” Liam calls across the room. Scott doesn’t bother turning around, keeps his gaze focused on the galaxy map in front of him. He shakes his head, and Liam sighs, but doesn’t continue. Makes his way towards Scott.

Doesn’t touch. Scott’s more relieved than he thinks he should be.

“You okay?”

A soft, humorless laugh comes out before Scott can stop it. “Hell no.” His entire body feels  _alive_ , in ways Scott’s never felt before—everything too much and not enough.

He can’t explain it. Maybe Liam won’t ask.

The Tempest hums softly, a vibration beneath Scott’s feet, and he closes his eyes and breathes with it for a few minutes, until he can feel Liam’s warmth at his back, the gentle brush of his fingers along his wrist.

“C’mon,” Liam says, his free hand to one of Scott’s shoulders, guiding him gently out of the room. “Pathfinder’s gotta rest.”

“Can’t sleep,” he says, finally. “I keep seeing…” Everything. It’s not even about what happened, really, so much as it is the potential of the otherwise. “Doesn’t matter.”

But Liam’s not so easily convinced. “Ryder,” he says, then, seeming to think better of it, “Scott.” So Scott looks, but Liam’s glancing away, brow furrowed in thought. He doesn’t know what to say, either.

At least they have that.

Scott swallows. “Sorry. You can go—“

But Liam looks back at him, then, a twist of a smile on his lips as he lightly slaps at Scott’s shoulder. “C’mon, can’t leave my best friend hanging, can I?”

Something knots in Scott’s stomach at the words. Best friend. It’s a busy job, being Pathfinder—Scott hasn’t let himself hope for more, but there’s always been something about Liam. There’s nothing to be expected—Liam’s made that clear—but it doesn’t make the burn of unrequited affection any less intense.

Liam follows him down to his quarters, anyway, and disappears into the kitchen while Scott heads to change his clothes. He moves like he’s on autopilot, the space around him too-real and immediate.

Scott’s world itself feels like it’s going to shatter into a million pieces.

_Now what_?

“Hey,” Liam says, at the threshold of the door, holding up a glass and a pack of crackers. “You looked a little pale, so…”

“Why’re you doing this?” Scott asks, before he can think better of it. Liam furrows his brow at him, and Scott feels his cheeks heat up. “I just mean, you know—no one else’s here.” Because it can’t just be a friends thing, not like this.

Scott thinks he looks uncomfortable, across the room from where Scott’s sitting on the couch, hands stuck under his thighs to keep from shaking. Liam scratches at an arm, moves his weight from foot to foot, and says, “You’re the Pathfinder.”

He shouldn’t push it. Scott  _knows_. “That’s all? So you’re doing this out of some—fulfillment of duty.”

He doesn’t need pity, least of all from Liam. Scott stands up, and starts stepping towards him, headed towards the door so he can lock Liam, and the others, out, but Liam stops him before he can. “It’s not just that.”

Scott takes a deep breath. The others are kind enough, but none of the others are awake in the middle of the night, either, watching Scott try to reel himself back from the edge.

There’s something intimate in that. Scott reminds himself intimacy doesn’t equal romantic.

So he feels like an idiot, all the sudden, standing in his pajamas in his quarters, hand outstretched towards the manual lock, Liam looking at him with something like desperation.

“It’s different,” Liam says, like the words are hard to get out. “With you. You’re not like the others.”

Another duality of being human, Scott thinks—that that can both feel relieving and painful at the same time.

“I’ll try not to be insulted,” Scott says.

“Definitely not an insult.” Liam sets the glass and crackers on the shelf behind him and steps forward. “I’m not very good at this,” he adds, and the tension between them changes.

Scott’s still not trying to hope.

“You don’t need to do this,” he says, because if it’s pity, Scott doesn’t need it. Liam knows Scott’d had an interest, at some point. He’d rather if it didn’t become a thing between them.

“I want to.”

Scott’s breath hitches in his throat, and Liam steps closer, until he’s in Scott’s space. “Liam—“

“Everything with you,” Liam starts, “feels different. Thought it was just because you’re the Pathfinder, and you want to get shit done, you’re good at what you do. It’s not just that, though. Galaxy’s saved, and I still…”

His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth, but Scott still manages to ask, “Still what?”

Liam ducks his head, just a little, looks up at Scott from beneath his eyelashes and grins. “Still want to be close to you.”


	27. Liam/Scott - I hope you rot in hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - I hope you rot in hell

“Don’t think that’s a little… dramatic?”

Scott sends a look Liam’s way. Liam raises his hands, as if in surrender. “Please. I’m entitled, aren’t I?”

Liam takes a seat on the couch next to him, and sighs. “The guy’s just watching out for his people, same as you.”

“Yeah,” Scott says, in a tone that says he really thinks this should be clearer, “but I’m not being a dick about it, either. Like—how many other times has he used me, just so he can make himself look good? That I don’t know about.”

Really, he should know better. No one really likes Tann, but Scott’s really got it out for the guy. The difference between everyone else and Scott is that Scott’s just a few seconds away from organizing a mutiny against him.

Not something you want in a Pathfinder. “Come on.”

“He grounded the Tempest,” Scott says, finally. “After I told him the other thousand requests for a Pathfinder people are putting out. Outposts don’t have the resources we do, and we can’t exactly live in this galaxy if we’re not going to play nice.”

There’s no sense trying to get Scott to see reason, so Liam just sets a hand on his knee. “We’ll figure it out, all right? Always do.”

Scott snorts. “I appreciate it, but I don’t know that I care. Tann wants to ruin our relationship with the outposts, let him. I’m not gonna take the fall for it.”

Liam takes a deep breath. “Come on. You don’t mean that.”

“Why’re you taking his side, anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be my partner?”

“I am,” Liam says, a little angry now, too, because Scott’s smarter than this. “but that doesn’t mean I have to stand by you when you’re being a thickheaded ass about everything, either. He’s dealing with a delicate situation.”

“Delicate.” He snorts again. But it’s less angry, this time, and finally, he turns to meet Liam’s eyes. “Yeah, all right. I’m being a dick.”

Liam shrugs. “You care. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah, just—“ Scott sighs, runs a hand through his hair. “Feels like I’m helpless. If I’m sitting here doing nothing, what’d I come to Andromeda for?”

“Lots of things you can do right here,” Liam says. Scott rolls his eyes. “Mind out of the gutter, Pathfinder. As fun as that is, I was talking about work. Convince him they need you out there. You have more than enough info here to do that.”

Scott swallows. “Gonna need a team if he says yes. You still with me?”

“I came to another galaxy because I believed in the Initiative. What makes you think I wouldn’t go at least as far for you?”


	28. Reyes/Scott - Don't touch me right now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Don't touch me right now

“Don’t—“ Scott says, backing away, gun still raised in one hand while he runs the other through his hair. “Stay away from me.”

“All right,” Reyes says, holding his hands up in surrender and backing off. Like trying to appease a wild animal, Scott thinks. “We can—“

“I really, really don’t want to hear you talk right now.” His voice comes out in a snarl, and Scott almost feels bad for it.

Just the last few minutes have been a whirlwind of bullshit, and Scott’s not convinced he can wrap his head around it. “Does Sara know?”

Reyes clears his throat. “I thought it best to keep it from her for now. If she doesn’t know, the Nexus—“

“If she doesn’t know,” Scott says though his teeth, “she could be putting her whole crew in danger.” He laughs, harsh, and cruel. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“It was—“

“Shut up!” Scott grips his head, closing his eyes tightly. “Do you think about anyone other than yourself for five minutes?”

Reyes doesn’t speak. Scott’s not sure he’s still there until he opens his eyes and sees him standing there, looking at Scott with a wounded expression on his face. “You could have put her in danger.”

“I’m aware,” he says. “Can you blame me for wanting to keep myself safe?”

“Why tell me and not her?” he asks, softly. “What’s so much more important about me knowing than her? All I do is physical therapy on the Nexus and visit you here, Reyes, I don’t get it.”

Reyes steps forward. Scott lets him, apprehensive but curious. Reyes is a man good at distracting him, and Scott’s not ready to be distracted. “You were easier to read,” he says. “And—it felt wrong, hiding it from you, as close as we became.”

“So you told me because we fuck?” Scott snorts. “Sara’s out there saving the galaxy, and you tell me because you like the way my mouth feels?”

“It’s not just that,” Reyes says, sounding desperate.

“It never is, is it? It’s always something else with you. Another story hidden behind the excuse.”

Reyes makes a sound in his throat, angry. “You always talk too much when I’m trying to tell you how I feel—“

“What can you feel? You obviously have no sympathy for anyone beyond yourself—“

“If you’d let me speak, you’d know I’m falling in love with you. The Initiative knowing is a risk I can’t yet take.” Reyes steps forward, brushes a hand along Scott’s jaw. Scott’s never had a hard time reading him before—and Reyes still reads like an open book—but there’s an uncertainty that wasn’t there before. “I wasn’t just ensuring my own survival, Scott. I do have an entire planet to look out for.”

Scott can feel his resolve breaking—and not just because Reyes has an open, honest expression on his face. It makes sense. Honestly, Scott’s not sure he’d be able to say he’d do any different. “You could have told her,” Scott says.

“And I will, I promise.” Reyes pulls his hand away, puts some more distance between them. “But there’s more at stake here than loyalty.”


	29. Reyes/Scott - Baby, just breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Baby, just breathe

Lexi did say something about this—the difficulty breathing, the rapid heartbeat, the sheen of sweat that breaks out over his skin. Comes with the PTSD, she’d said, and gave Scott drugs to help.

Doesn’t make a difference when he leaves them on the Tempest, though, and he’s currently sitting in Reyes’ bed, clawing at his shirt because it feels like it’s choking him.

His breathing comes in little gasps, while he fumbles trying to turn on the bedside light. The sheets are caught between his legs, and he can’t shove them off fast enough.

He just needs air, and the room’s too hot, Reyes too warm by his side—

“Scott?”

Fuck. Fuck.

He’s kept it secret this long—he can’t let Reyes know. “Nightmare,” Scott says. It’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth either. Reyes doesn’t need to know. He has this under control, most of the time—anxiety’s nothing Scott hasn’t experienced before.

Deep breaths, and he’ll get over it.

But Reyes is awake, now, reaching for the light and it’s just one more thing on top of the sensory overload for him, the bright lights, and Scott chokes on the air in his throat.

“Scott?”

Reyes reaches out for him, resting a hand on his shoulder. Scott jerks at the touch. “Slow breaths—“ And he starts inhaling, slow, encouraging Scott to do the same.

It’s been a while since he’s had an attack around someone. There are nightmares, sure, but most of the time, he wakes up and it’s enough.

Guess he has the Archon to thank for that.

His breathing eventually settles, and Reyes gets up from the bed to crack one of the vents. Cool air flows in, and the vice-like phantom grip on Scott’s throat loosens.

It’s not stupid, Scott knows that—but he feels stupid. “I left my meds on the Tempest,” he says, soft, and looks down at his hands in his lap. Reyes’ hand rubs circles into his back. “It’s been a while since I needed them.”

Reyes hums, scoots forward to press himself against Scott’s back, and rests his head on Scott’s shoulder. “You could always keep some here.”

Scott makes a face. “I’m never here. They’d expire.”

Reyes presses his lips to the dip in his neck. “All the more reason to come by more often.”


	30. Reyes/Scott - I can't believe you don't even know my eye color

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - I can't believe you don't even know my eye color

“Isn’t what we share deeper than arbitrary—“

“Hey, you’re not getting off that easy,” Scott says, pointing at the holo of Reyes. “I can’t believe we’ve been dating for two months and you don’t even know—“

“Holos don’t lend to color differences,” Reyes says, “and I’m focused on much more than just your eyes when you are here.” He smiles—Scott tries not to let himself think about how much he misses him.

“—but eye color, Reyes, come on!” Scott raises an eyebrow, and waits.

And waits. Reyes sighs, finally. “I promise to pay more attention to your eyes next time we’re together.”

Scott looks up at him, and smiles—slow, sensual, and even over vidcon it’s easy to see the reaction. “Dunno,” Scott says, “kind of like how you already pay attention to me.”

There’s still the fresh electric feel to their relationship—every touch feels like a shock and Scott can’t get enough of it. It’s cutting into his efficiency, he thinks, how much he craves the feel of Reyes’ hands on him. Even in innocent ways. Making plans on Kadara, a map splayed out in front of them, Reyes brushing his fingers across where Scott had his palm pressed against the location for the outpost—even work business becomes unbearably hot between them. Last time had been fucking incredible.

Scott thinks hard enough, he can still feel Reyes on him, against him, inside him.

He clears his throat, distracts himself with the data in front of him. Can’t let himself get too into fantasy—big mission upcoming, and Scott would rather have a clear head. “Anyway.”

Reyes has the remnants of a smile on his face when Scott looks up at him. “Next time,” Reyes says, and something in his voice has Scott’s spine alight with shivers, “I promise.”


	31. Reyes/Scott - Wait, why are you crying?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Wait, why are you crying?

There’s a ceremony. Unveiling of Meridian, the rest of the sleepers pulled from cryo–and Scott’s supposed to make a speech.

All Scott wants to do is find his way back to the Tempest and make a beeline for Kadara. He’s pretty sure he deserves a vacation, after all of this.

After the speeches, and the drinks, and the polite smiles, Scott manages to sneak away. Gil’s hard at work on the Tempest when Scott boards, but Scott’s pretty sure he won’t bother him. He heads for the galaxy map in his quarters, looking over planet data for other potential worlds.

A Pathfinder’s job is never done.

“I thought I might find you here,” Reyes says, from behind him. Scott doesn’t bother turning around, just flips to another planet. “The party lost its luster without you.”

“Just–wanted to be alone,” Scott says. Another planet. Most of them are inhabitable. Scott wonders if that’s significant in anyway.

Most of them have vaults, too.

Reyes doesn’t say anything for a minute, but clears his throat. “I can go, if you’d prefer.”

Scott considers it–the ring of conversation’s still loud in his ears, but Reyes is nothing if not a comforting presence. Even in spite of everything.

“No,” he says, and turns around. “Stay.”

So he does–he comes forward, as it’s clear Scott has no intention of leaving the galaxy map, wraps his arms around Scott’s waist and rests his head on his shoulder. It’s a tough fit–Scott has a few inches on him, so he’s probably standing on tiptoe.

Scott looks at another planet.

Reyes makes a noise in his throat. “Looking for anything in particular?”

“Habitable planets,” Scott says. “The Milky Way data’s all outdated, and we’re going to need something to house the quarians. Future outposts.”

“Vacation homes,” Reyes says, pressing a kiss to the curve of Scott’s shoulders. He snorts. “What?”

“You barely leave Kadara,” Scott says. “What’d you do with a vacation home?”

“You underestimate me,” Reyes says with a chuckle. He toys with the waistband of Scott’s jeans–not enticing, not encouraging. Familiar. Scott’s stomach makes a knot of itself at the implication.

Familiarity still feels dangerous in Andromeda.

“Gonna make day trips off world?” Another planet. Dust and ice worlds, atmospheres without oxygen… It’s going to be a hard mission, making sure these work. They make the current planets look like a piece of cake. “It’s not practical.”

“When have you known me to be practical?”

“We’re not seriously discussing you getting a vacation home.”

Reyes shrugs, starts to sway Scott in place. It’s harder to read the planetary info, now, but Scott’s not quite interested in telling him to stop. “Why not? A place to relax that isn’t a hotel room in the slums… A nice ocean view, I think.”

Scott’s throat tightens. He doesn’t say anything.

“Or something in a forest. Hidden, maybe. Somewhere I can have you all to myself.”

Swallowing, Scott reaches out to change the planet. “That’s years off, Reyes.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I can cash in on a few favors. Give you a home worthy of you.”

“I’m not that special,” Scott says, because he’s not–he was thrust onto the role of Pathfinder, thrust into the Andromeda Initiative, thrust into the Alliance. His entire life has been a series of coincidences.

Even meeting Reyes was a coincidence.

Scott isn’t inherently worthy of anything.

“Scott?” Reyes asks, quietly. “Are you–”

Scott closes his eyes, shakes his head. Reyes is too close, suddenly, and Scott can’t get away from him–not quickly enough. Not without letting on how upset he is.

It’s not just about the home, or the planets, or the reality of Andromeda. It’s about everything.

He pulls back from Reyes. “This is stupid,” he says.“

Reyes’ voice is confused when he says, "You’re unhappy?”

“No,” Scott says, “that’s kind of the problem.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Scott’s not sure he does, either. “Just–I keep feeling like I’m going to wake up and this will all be a dream. And yeah that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, for the Kett to be some nightmare and everything else to have worked out like it should have, but.”

Against everything, Scott’s happier here than he ever was in the Milky Way.

He’s not sure how much, but Reyes is a big part of that. And all things considered, they’re still  _new_.

Reyes doesn’t seem to be put off by it, though–instead, he steps forward and rests his hands back on Scott’s hips. “You know,” he says, “you should have said something before.”

Scott meets his eyes, and quirks his lips. “So you could turn heel and run?”

“So I don’t play the fool. Scott,” he says, sounding more sincere than Scott’s ever heard him, “this is a partnership.”

“I know. I was just hoping I might put my head on straight a bit more.”

Reyes draws a hand across his jaw. Scott lets himself relax into the touch. “That’s what I’m here for, isn’t it?”


	32. Liam/Scott - Did I just say that out loud?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Did I just say that out loud?

There’s a pleasant, light feeling in his bones—one he hasn’t had since the last night on Earth. Everything feels warm, and calm, and inviting. Even Liam’s couch feels good, scratchy as it is. Liam’s voice is warm and soft to Scott’s ears, and absolutely every minute detail of the space around them feels peaceful to him.

He runs his hands over the seat of the couch between them, and thinks, for a long few seconds, how good this feels.

Liam’s rambling about the movie, about some outdated theory behind the story. Scott could listen to him for hours—he loves the way his voice sounds when he’s not passionate, but when he is, everything gets sharper, clearer, and suddenly Scott’s getting lost in the way he says his words, the gestures, the expressions.

I love you, Scott thinks, smiling to himself, and, after a second, Liam turns his head back from the data pad and looks to Scott.

“Uh—“ He laughs, but looks pleased enough. Scott nudges him with his knee. “Sorry?”

And it dawns on him.

It’s not how Scott wanted it to come out—even if he’s not exactly the romantic type and he and Liam only got together because feeling the floor fall from beneath your feet gets a little easier to bear when you’ve got someone falling with you—but it’s out there, and the buzz in his veins keep him from pulling the words back to hide.

Why hold back? It’s a good thing, Scott thinks, and trails his hand along the back of the couch to Liam’s neck. “I love you,” he says again, the words foreign on his lips but right nonetheless. He licks his lips. “Just—wanted to say it.

Liam doesn’t say the word back, but he does smile, leans forward, presses his forehead against Scott’s for a minute. It’s not always about the words, Scott knows—and maybe they don’t fall from Liam’s lips, but every touch, every look, says them louder than Scott ever could.


	33. Liam/Scott - Hold my hand, we have to make this look convincing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - Hold my hand, we have to make this look convincing

It’a a beautiful planet. The architecture isn’t like anything Scott’s ever seen, built into mountainsides and under the oceans. Light materials that’d put Earth’s early space flight program to shame.

This is where photos would be good. Take some tips on infrastructure from their new friends.

And everything is flourishing, without being overgrown. Beautiful fields of grain and trellises helping flowers climb the walls.

Even the weather’s beautiful. Sunny, and clear, and it’s the middle of summer and it’s not muggy.

Scott’s not convinced it’s real.

“Hey,” Liam says, from across the room, pointing at one of the paintings hanging on the wall. “You think they had a Picasso here?”

Liam looks good in the sun, in sunglasses, in the loose t-shirt he’s worn to fit the weather. Scott takes a second to admire him, eyes trailing down the muscles in his arms. Liam catches him staring, grins, and flexes.

“I didn’t know you were into art,” he says, crossing his arms. Anything to distract him.

Shrugging, Liam makes his way across the room towards him. “Might’ve thought it’d impress you.”

It’s still early in their relationship—if Scott could call it that. Two weeks ago, Liam had invited Scott to his room for a movie marathon—one thing led to another, as they often do, but the one night is all it was. There’s an electric tension to the air between them, but they’ve been too busy to sit down and talk about it.

Which makes this entire situation awkward.

“What do you mean they want my mate?” Scott asked, when they were still on the Tempest.

“They believe a second half makes you more negotiable,” SAM said, after accessing their local drives. “A partner encourages equal footing. You will be meeting with a high council, and they request a partnership when it comes to interspecies trading.”

“And they all have these partners?”

“Many, yes.”

In a sense, it was understandable—but Scott didn’t have a partner, but the point of contact took one look at him and Liam and it was a done deal.

“How d’you think they knew?” Liam asks. Scott can see himself in the reflection on his sunglasses. “Like, the crew doesn’t even know.”

Maybe he’s taking partner too literally. Maybe they’re picking up on some other bond.

They’re best friends, after all. That has to mean something.

“Dunno,” Scott says instead. “Sorry I dragged you into this.”

“What? No way. Seeing the Pathfinder in action’s always a treat, Ryder, and besides, Cora’s the one who gets to do all the diplomatic shit with you. Nice change of scenery.” He nudges his elbow against Scott’s side. “Happy to be here.”

The aliens look remarkable similar to humans, Scott thinks, if on a larger scale. Liam’s not exactly a small man and things seem to dwarf him. Other than an odd facial construction of five eyes and nostril slits instead of a nose…

Maybe not so much like humans, then.

There are footsteps outside the room, so Scott scrambles for Liam. “Hold my hand,” he says, “we need to look convincing.”

“Pretty sure the way you were undressing me with your eyes’ll suffice, Ryder,” Liam says, but he’s smiling and allows Scott to take his hand. “You don’t really think they don’t know, do you?”

Scott’s not sure. “I’d rather just err on the side of caution. We’re the first aliens they’ve seen in years. I’d rather not blow this”

He swallows—voices outside the room, now. Anything could go wrong—maybe they’re found out, or someone thinks they don’t cut it, and they find out Scott used Liam as a technicality.

But Liam looks at him fondly, pleased, and grins. “Come on, Pathfinder. You’ve got this.”

He does. And the success feels so much sweeter when Liam’s there to press a smile to his lips.


	34. Liam/Scott - I'm like 20% sure this plan will work. There's an 80% chance we could die horribly and violently, but this plan is solid, I swear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - I'm like 20% sure this plan will work. There's an 80% chance we could die horribly and violently, but this plan is solid, I swear

“Do you trust me?” Liam says, holding his hand out. Scott barely sees it in his peripheral vision, because he’s staring down at the valley beneath them instead. There’s a horde of rampaging creatures behind them, and Scott’s trying to figure out if it’s a better idea to turn around and fight, or to test out what’s left of the jump jets—which seems to be Liam’s plan.

In the back of his head, SAM’s saying, ‘Your chances of survival increase exponentially with Liam’s plan,” but zero times 100 is still zero.

“It’s suicide,” Scott says, because the indicator light is still flashing for his jump jets in his helmet—they’re low on power, and they aren’t getting anymore. Liam’s aren’t much better off.

“It’s a solid plan,” Liam says, sparing a quick glance behind them. “Do you trust me?”

It’s about a hell of a lot more than trust, Scott thinks. “Odds?”

“20/80?” Liam says, shaking his hand in urgency. “C’mon, Ryder. Fight or flight.”

Except humans don’t fly. Scott doesn’t need to learn that lesson the hard way. “Liam,” he says, looking back at him. For a man literally teetering on the edge, he looks awfully calm. He swallows, nods his head, and looks back to the drop off. “All right. I trust you.”

He reaches for Liam’s hand—jump jets maybe work a little better in tandem, when broken, Scott doesn’t know—and scrabbles for purchase on his armor, before they’ve even left the ground.

Closing his eyes tight, Scott takes one last look at the rampaging creatures behind them before he steps off the edge.

The fall takes his breath away—his heart’s beating hard enough against his armor that Scott’s not convinced Liam can’t feel it. The air whooshing around them makes Scott wish he were a biotic—that he could throw up a shield and call it good.

That he’s not fragile, under it all, and doesn’t have to worry about making it to the bottom.

But Liam’s good, all about precision and Scott should know him better by now. He was in crisis response, and it makes sense this is what he does. So when Scott’s feet touch the ground, hard but no worse for wear, just as his jump jets do actually give out, he feels bad for doubting him even a little.

Liam huffs out a laugh, and pats at Scott’s shoulder. “Gotta give me more credit, Pathfinder,” he says.

He doesn’t move. He doesn’t say anything, either, because his heart’s still beating fast in his chest, and under normal circumstances he loses his ability to speak this close to Liam.

With the fear still fresh in his mind, Scott’s absolutely speechless. It feels like his heart’s caught in his throat–Liam’s too close for stability.

Scott clears his throat–the look in Liam’s eyes goes from excitement to concern, and he opens his mouth to speak. Scott drags his eyes away from Liam’s, looks beyond him–where Drack has a group of people helping to flip the Nomad.

Before Liam can address it, Scott pulls back and says, trying to hide the shaking in his voice, “Drack found the Nomad. Duty calls, huh?”

He flashes a grin, but it’s not enough–Liam eyes him suspiciously, even if he starts to follow without a word.

Scott’s been getting away with it this long. He’s learned to hide it, behind accidents and jokes and beer. What’s the excuse now? Adrenaline?

Liam’s smarter than that. It’s just a matter of how long he’s going to let Scott get away with it.


	35. Reyes/Scott - Would you quit moving around? / It's not my fault we're tied up together!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Would you quit moving around? / It's not my fault we're tied up together!

“Would you  _quit moving?_ ”

“It’s not my fault we’re tied up together!” Scott says, kicking his foot back so it connects with the back of Reyes’ leg. “I came here to save  _your_  sorry ass, and—“

Reyes groans. “Pathfinder, I—“

“Don’t ‘Pathfinder’ me,” he says, his tone biting. Reyes shuts up immediately. Scott stares around the cave, searching for something that might give them an edge. The two of them are hanging from the ceiling, tied together neatly from the hips up, arms pinned to their sides.

No way out, then. The Tempest’s already working on getting a team out to find them, but until then…

Serves him right, maybe. Never should have followed Reyes out here in the first place.

“Is this Sloane? It’s gotta be Sloane.”

A pause, then, “Does it matter?”

No. But Scott’s gonna be pissed about something, or it’ll start to hurt. “How many followers did she have?” Reyes makes a noise, like he wants to interrupt, so Scott adds, “Enough to try to get revenge?”

Reyes sighs. “Ryder. How can you be sure they didn’t pull me out here to get to you?”

“We broke up,” Scott says. His voice only wavers a little. He’s suddenly thankful Reyes can’t see his expression.

“Not to point out the obvious,” Reyes says, “but clearly they weren’t off base.”

Scott scowls. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

A pause. “You did respond to the request to meet me here rather eagerly. I don’t want to assume—“

“What, like I’m the only one?

“But they obviously knew that would be the case.”

Embarrassed, Scott wiggles again, hoping this time the ropes will give way under their weight and Scott can walk away. “And you’re, what, the bonus?”

“I suppose that depends on your point of view.”

And to think Scott thought this would be good for him.


	36. Liam/Scott - This is a stupid plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam/Scott - This is a stupid plan

“…Any questions?”

Blank faces. All of them. Scott’s pretty sure all of them are speechless, which he’d always thought was impossible. Still, the pride dissipates into fear quick, because if he doesn’t have his team, he can’t do it.

“You know, the whole renegade thing? Not your style. Shepard, though. He had the expressions for it,” Liam says, but his eyes are kind and Scott just chuckles at him, dropping his head.

That’s all it takes, and the rest of them are on board.

Later, though, Liam corners Scott in the same room, staring down over a map of Heleus. “Got a minute?”

Scott’s shoulders drop, and he nods. It’s been a long day—checking the Tempest is in order for the flight, checking they have enough supplies.

Checking no one’s going to mark him for arrest.

Liam presses his body against Scott’s back, rests his head on Scott’s shoulder. “Hey, Ryder?”

Scott hums.

“This is a stupid plan.”

Scott groans.

“It’s half-cocked. No idea where the quarian ark is, and you want to find it. That’s good, noble, but we’re not a fighting ship. The Tempest can’t take fire, and we’re like sitting ducks.”

“No one else wants to look for them,” Scott says. “And it’s been—fuck, how long has it been since we heard from them?” He tenses, shakes his head. “I don’t like the idea of leaving people behind.” Liam doesn’t say anything, just draws circles over Scott’s skin on his hips. “So, if you want to hang back, keep a safe distance to whatever I’m going to fuck up, then—“

Liam presses his lips to the side of Scott’s jaw. “Are you kidding? C’mon. Wouldn’t miss this for the world.”


	37. Reyes/Scott - I never imagined myself in a wedding dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - I never imagined myself in a wedding dress

“Do you ever think about getting married?” Scott asks, while they’re waiting in the shop. Reyes is walking through the rows of dresses strung up from the ceiling, tapping at his chin. “Big house, big family…”

They’re picking up Sara’s dress—a simple, white thing that made her look like some kind of royalty. “I want to do it traditional,” she’d said, and then she’d been pulled away for work, and since the shop only holds orders for a few days, Scott had been expected to pick it up.

Reyes glances Scott’s way, and a light laugh passes through his lips. “I think the time for marriage has long since passed me by.”

It’s not disappointment—Scott’s not sure he wants to get married, either—especially not the way Sara does, in front of everyone. The old Earth customs for marriage are outdated and embarrassing, anyway, and it’s not like Scott’s ever envisioned himself getting in front of a bunch of people and crying about how much he loves someone.

He gets mushy enough without all eyes on him, in the privacy of his own room, of Reyes’ room on Kadara.

In shops on the Nexus.

“Really?” Scott asks. “Never thought about spending your life with someone?”

“That’s a different question.”

“I’m just curious.”

Reyes sighs, lifts a hand to feel the fabric of a dress between his fingers. Scott cocks his head, crosses his arms. Thinks, absently, that Reyes is a handsome man, and he wouldn’t mind waking up every day to him.

He blinks, surprised. Oh.

“It doesn’t matter,” Scott says, a little too fast. Reyes turns to him, an eyebrow raised.

“Why, Scott—“

He blushes, frowns at his own predictability. “—I didn’t  _say anything_ —“

“—I didn’t think you were the type.”

There’s a small smirk to Reyes’ lips, but it’s kind. “I’ve never imagined myself in a wedding dress, you know. Expensive, impractical.

Still blushing, Scott motions to Reyes’ clothing. “As opposed to what you’re wearing now?”

“Will Sara be able to wear this over her armor?”

“Is  _that_  what you keep trying to talk to her about? I wondered why you kept talking to her!”

“Scott,” he says, suddenly serious, “if you did happen to be interested…”

“No,” Scott says, almost begging, because this is embarrassing, “definitely not. Reyes, I’m happy with where we are now.” And if there comes a day where that’s not true anymore… He can’t imagine it, but they deal with it then. “Seriously,” he says, reaching up to rest his hand on Reyes’ chest.

Thing is, he thinks, as the saleswoman comes out from the back holding a dress bag, that if Reyes asked, he’d probably say yes.


	38. Reyes/Scott - Let him go! It's me who you want!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - Let him go! It's me who you want!

Scott’s breath is caught in his throat, but he can’t move. The entire angaran group has a gun pointed at his head, and—

Fuck. He’s never been in a situation his biotics can’t get him out of, and yet—

“Let him go!” someone calls across the cave, and Scott carefully looks away to see Reyes jumping down from a ledge, dropping his gun off to the side. A few of the angara turn to aim at him.

Scott thought he was terrified before. There’s still too much focus on him to use his biotics, so Scott waits, and hopes. “It’s me you want.”

“I told you,” the angara says, almost smirking. “Threaten the Pathfinder, your prey will come out of the shadows.”

I’m sorry, Scott thinks, because he can’t say it. I’m sorry I brought you into this. I’m sorry I can’t help.

But Reyes is better prepared for this sort of thing, isn’t he? Comes into situations with a contingency plan. Scott’s never been one for the multiple ways out, and as a result Reyes has saved him more times than he can count.

He’s got a contingency plan. He must.

“It’s me you want,” he says, and starts walking towards the group. “So why not let him go and avoid the difficulty?”

“Fuck that,” Scott says, finally finding his voice. “I’m not leaving here without you.”

“How sweet,” the angara says, “but there’s only room for one.”

Scott waits, and waits, but nothing happens. No one pops out of the shadows, no parts of the cave start rumbling. Reyes doesn’t toss out a flash grenade.

No contingency plan. It feels like the ground disappears from beneath his feet.

“No need for such dramatics, is there?” Reyes says, lifting his hands in the air, and all guns train on him.

Stupid, Scott thinks, but there’s a hint of a smirk on his face and—oh.

Scott’s his contingency plan, and he’s giving him a signal.

One chance then. Take the opening and don’t fuck it up.

No pressure.


	39. Reyes/Scott - You can sing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes/Scott - You can sing?

One of the worse things about being Pathfinder—aside from the whole AI that can kill you in your head thing, though Scott wouldn’t say that’s always a bad thing—is the absolute lack of privacy.

He doesn’t even have his own bathroom on the Tempest. He has to share with the entire crew. Which wouldn’t be a problem, but the entire crew isn’t sneaking on Initiative exiles. It means early mornings making breakfast in the cramped Tempest kitchen while watching across the hall to make sure no one walks in on Reyes.

He busies himself with toasts and eggs, hums under his breath, and checks behind him every once in a while for the crew.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” someone says, when Scott’s got his back turned. Arms slide around his waist, and breath tickles his ear. “What else are you hiding?”

Scott hums in his throat. “I need to have some surprises.”


End file.
